PremiAir, the UK’s largest helicopter charter and management company, has become a member of Avinode, the leading b2b platform to buy and sell charter flights.  The relationship follows Avinode’s recent decision to extend its web technology to helicopters and enable charter broker users to search availability between chosen helipads, or any location where helicopters are permitted to land.

PremiAir has placed its executive VIP helicopter charter fleet (Sikorsky S76 and Eurocopter Twin Squirrels) on to the system, thus becoming Avinode’s largest rotor wing client.  PremiAir’s availability will be highlighted as users seek to match fixed-wing and helicopter flights to make quick connections and help deliver clients to their ultimate destinations.  PremiAir has also included its first fixed wing aircraft, a Beechcraft Premier 1 light jet, managed by PremiAir and positioned at the company’s London Oxford Airport Beechcraft Authorised Service Centre base and now available for charter.

PremiAir, which is always very busy during the Season’s major events, especially with the Silverstone British Grand Prix, Farnborough Airshow and the Ryder Cup, expects it will get additional business to complement bookings coming from its regular clientele.  “Avinode is a long-established and well-respected tool used by brokers worldwide and it is bolstered further following its recent merger with US-based Charter X,” said Neil Gibson, PremiAir’s Head of Charter and Management.  “We have entered into this relationship because we are confident it will generate an important source of new business from international markets.”

“Avinode is delighted that PremiAir has joined our marketplace, said Sara Rösman, Avinode Area Sales Manager.  “PremiAir’s fleet represents a valuable addition to our current helicopter offerings and we are sure they will find their Avinode membership to be very beneficial.”

The Avinode system currently processes up to 75,000 charter requests monthly.  It includes data for approximately 90% of Europe’s charter fleet, listing some 3,500 aircraft in total.  Charter X’s database adds a further 15,000 aircraft from as many as 116 countries.

About PremiAir

• Established 30 years ago, PremiAir is the UK’s largest Executive Helicopter Charter and Management company and has now added Private Jet Charter and Management operations to its range of services.  It has bases at Denham, Blackbushe, Oxford and Farnborough Airports in the UK.
• PremiAir is privately owned by the von Essen Group and is a sister company of von Essen Hotels, which owns and operates 28 luxury hotels throughout the UK and Europe.
• PremiAir also manages and operates The London Heliport at Battersea, which remains the UK capital’s only commercial heliport. New ultra modern business aviation terminal facilities will be opening this summer connected to a luxury 5 star hotel development, Hotel Verta.
• PremiAir flies approximately 4,000 charter hours a year with its modern fleet of Sikorsky S76s and Eurocopter Twin Squirrels.  It has 18 Executive Helicopters on management programmes; providing turnkey services to their owners.
• PremiAir’s maintenance business is also an FAA, EASA, CAA Part 145-approved organization; it is a Sikorsky Service Centre for the S76 (all models), a Bell Customer Service Facility for Bell 222, 230 and 430 and is a Hawker Beechcraft Authorised Service Centre for their Beechcraft Model range.  PremiAir is one of the largest Eurocopter maintenance centres in Europe supporting EC155, AS365 Dauphin and AS355 Twin Squirrel. The company also provides support services on the AgustaWestland 109 model range and is a Pratt & Whitney Canada recognised maintenance facility and a distributor for Honeywell, Rockwell Collins and numerous other equipment vendors.
• PremiAir boasts Part 21J and G design and manufacturer approvals for aircraft modifications. With a large and experienced design office team, the company provides full refurbishment and upgrade services on most executive helicopter types and a wide range of fixed wing aircraft, including the full Beechcraft model range.  Fixed wing aircraft are maintained at a new facility at Oxford Airport, which opened in October 2008.
• PremiAir is a leading player in the provision of pilots to the UK Police Forces with contracts with UK / Ireland Police Air Support units.
• PremiAir Global is the company’s aircraft sales and brokerage business.  It specialises in acquiring and selling new and used helicopters and business jets and is based at Farnborough Airport, UK.
• PremiAir recently scooped the ‘Best Executive Aviation Provider’ accolade at the 2010 Business Travel Awards.  Other awards include Buying Business Travel Diamond Award Winner 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Best Executive Aviation Provider.  Luxury Travel Winner Best Private Charter Company 2008.

About Avinode
Avinode operates the leading online marketplace for industry professionals to buy and sell air charter. Over 4,000 aviation professionals use Avinode daily to charter flights worldwide. The marketplace currently lists 3,500 aircraft with online quoting, availability reports, empty leg postings and picture galleries. Corporate headquarters are in Goteborg, Sweden with two wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States, Avinode Inc., in Miami, Florida, and CharterX/Wyvern Consulting Ltd, in Trenton, New Jersey.